Electromagnetic device



Aug. 7, 1923.

1,464,088 G. c. CUMMINGS ELECTROMAGNETIC DEVICE Filed Sept. 27 1920 //7ve/?f0r George C. Cummings Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. CUMMINGS, OF EAST ORANGE, .IERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y'., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK- ELECTROMAGNETIC DEVICE.

Application filed September 27, 1920. Serial No. 413,207.

T all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. CUMMINGS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electromagnetic Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description. I 1 This invention relates to electromagnetic relays and particularly to vibrating rela s.

Such relays are used especially in te egraph systems where electrical impulses of positive and negative polarity are impressed on the line at a very high rate of speed. It is necessary in such relays that there be as little lag as possible in the operation of the armature, and for this purpose magnetizing windings are usually employed to oppose the eflect of the main operating windings. The opposing windings overcome the residual magnetism of the core and produce at the cessation of the operating impulse, a tendency in thearmature to return in the 245 direction from which it came. It is customary to energize the opposing windings-by means of a source of current connected with contacts cooperatin with the armature to close the circuit. ith such an arrangement, as soon as the armature breaks contact, the opposing winding ceases to influence the armature.

It is an object of the invention to provide a means for accelerating the armature of such a relay at the instant the opposing winding of the relay ceases to influence the armature.

This is accomplished by the invention in its preferred form by the addition of an accelerating winding cooperating with the opposing winding and inductively associ-v ated therewith by means of a transformer included in the circuit of each winding. At the make and break of the circuit of the opposing winding, current is induced in the circuit of the accelerating winding by means of the transformer. This current energizes the accelerating winding sufliciently to continue the influence of the opposing winding.

The invention may be more completely understood by reference to the drawing showing its preferred embodiment. Fig. 1, shows diagrammatically, one embodiment of the pressed electrical current impulses by means of any suitable source here diagrammatically shown as a telegraph key 8 connected to two sources of direct current 9 and 10 of opposite polarity. The armature 4swings gizes the winding 1, a d to contact 6 when a positive impulse ener 'zes the same winding.

The contact 5 is connected to the negative pole of a direct current source 11 whose positive pole is grounded. Similarly, the contact 6 is connected to the positive pole to contact 5 when a Egative impulse, enerof a direct current source 12, whose negative pole is grounded. The armature 4 is connected to a polarized sounder 13 and thence to ground. -A resistance 14 is included in series with the sounder 13 to limit the flow of current in the circuit. Resistances 15 and 16 also limit the current from the sources 11 and 12 respectively.

Opposing winding 2 is electrically connected with armature 4 by means of conductor 17 and furnishes a path for current through one winding of transformer 18 to ground. Thus, when armature 4 is in contact with either contact 5 or 6, current flows through opposing winding 2, producing a tendency in the armature to swing away from the contact.

Accelerating winding 3 is inductively assooiated with the opposing winding 2 by means of the other winding of transformer 18. A resistance 19 is also included in the circuitof winding 3 to limit the reactance effect of short-circuited turns on the'other windings 1 and 2. Resistance 19 also insures that the electromagnetic efi'ect of windin 3 will never equal the electromagnetic efl ect of winding 2.

As the relay is shown in Fig. 1, a negative impulse energizes the winding 1 pulling the armature 4 against contact 5. Negative current from source 11 energizes winding 2 to oppose winding 1 so that at the instant the key 8 disconnects from source 10, the armature begins to swing toward contact 6. As soon as it breaks contact with contact 5 the windin 2 ceases to influence the armature. The su den cessation of current causes a momentary rush of current in the secondary circuit of transformer 18 to energize winding 3. Under the influence of winding 3,,armature 4 is accelerated to' swing to contact 6. Current from source 12 flowing through transformer 18 causes a momentary impulse in the circuit of winding 3 to further propel the armature 4 against the contact 6. This effect is counterbalanced by the current flow ing through winding 2, which tends to cause the armature 4 to swing toward contact 5. During this time, the key 8 has been closed to impress a positive impulse from source 9 on the line 7 to energize winding 1. Under the influence of winding 1, the armature 4 stands against contact 6 until the key 8 is again operated to impress a negative impulse on the, line 7, when-the reverse operation takes place swinging the armature 4 to contact 5.

The polarized sounder 13 indicates these reversals of current impulses by means of the current flowing through it from sources 11 and 12.

In Fig. 2, which shows the form preferred for practical application of the invention, an additional relay is employed which cooperates with the opposing and accelerating windings of the line relay to operate the sounder.

The line relay is provided with an operating winding 20, an opposing winding 21, and an accelerating winding 22. The operating winding 20 is connected to the line 23 and is adapted to influence the armature 24 to swing between the contacts 25 and 26. The contact 25 is connected with the negative pole of the direct current source 27, the positive pole of which is grounded. The resistances 28 and 29, are included to limit the current flow from the source 27. Similarly contact 26 is connected with the positive pole of the direct current source 30, the negative pole of which is grounded. The resistances 31 and 32 are included herealso for the purpose of limiting the flow of current from the source 30.

Connected. with the armature 24 are the opposing winding 21, operating winding 33 of the auxiliary, relay 34, the primary of transformer 35, and a limiting resistance 36 to ground. A resistance 37 is shunted across opposing winding 21 in order to reduce the flow of current through winding 21.

The secondary of transformer 35 is connected in series with accelerating winding 22 and winding 38 of relay 34.

Relay 34 is provided with a polarized armature 39 which is influenced to swing between contacts 40 and 41. Contacts 40 and 41 are connected with the sources of current 27 and '30 respectively and supply current to operate the polarized sounder 42, a resistance "element 43 being interposed in the circuit.

The arrangement is shown influenced by a negative impulse on the line 23. vCurrent flows through the contact 25, armature 24, opposing winding 21 and shunt- 37, winding 33, primary of transformer resistance 36 to ground, winding 23 holds armature 39 against contact 41 and sounder 42 is energized by positive current from source 30. At the same time, a charge of negative current is accumulated in condenser 44, one side of which is grounded through resistance 45.

After the cessation of current in winding 20 and as the current begins to build up in the opposite direction, opposing winding 21 influences armature 24 to break contact with contact 25, and the condenser 44 discharges through winding 21 and winding 33, continuing the motion of armature 24 and hold ing armature 39 back against contact 41. The diminution of current in transformer primary 35 causes a corresponding increase in the secondary circuit thereby energizing accelerating winding 22 and winding 38. Armature 24 is thereby accelerated and armature 39 is influenced to swing into contact with contact 40. Sounder 42 is there-- upon energized by positive current from source 27. As soon as armature 24 contacts with contact 26, the flow of current from source 30 through the transformer 35 causes a momentary acceleration in armature 24 due to winding 22. The momentary influence of winding 38 on armature 39 is counteracted by the winding 33 which thereafter holds armature 39 fast against contact '40 By the time. armature 24 has contacted with contact 25, a positive impulse has been impressed upon the line and the armature is held fast under the influence of operating winding 20. Upon areversal of line current, the above operation is reversed and the armatures resume their former position as shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 a modification is shown in which the line relay armature is connected to a pole of a single sourceofcurrent and reversa-l of current in the opposing winding are due to the rearrangement of circuits cooperating with the armature contacts.

The line relay is provided with an operating winding 46 to control the armature 47 which is adapted to swing between the two contacts 48 and 49. Contact 49 is connected. to ground througha primary winding 51 of the transformer 50. Contact 48 is connected to ground through a primary 52 of the same transformer 50. The primaries 51 and 52 are so arranged that current flowing to ground through winding 51. induces secondary current opposite to that induced ture for affecting an operating winding to operate said arma- .and their common ground connection to limit the current flowing through the transformer circuits. A source of direct current 54is connected with armature '47 to energize the transformer 50 at such times as armature 47 contacts with contacts 48 and 49.

A branch circuit is also connected with contacts 48 and 49 which includes a high resistance 55, operating winding 56, and o pos ng w1nd1ng 57. Thus, when armature 47 is connected with contact 48 although most of the current flowing from source 54 flows through primary 52, a small amount will alsoflow through windings 56 and 57 and primary 51. The induction due to primary 52 redominates. armature 4 contacts with contact 49, the induct-ion due to primary '51 predominates.

Primaries 51 and 52 are preferably wound on the same core as are their respective secondaries 58 and 59. This avoids difliculties which might otherwise arise due to the fact that the secondaries 58 and 59 are connected in arallel.

cceleratin'g Winding 60 and auxiliary winding 61 are connected in series with the secondaries 58 and 59, and are adapted to be energized by current induced therein.

Windings 56 and'61 cooperate to influence an armature 62 in a manner similar to the corresponding armature of Fig. 2, and associated with it is similar apparatus comprising contacts 63 and 64 with corresponding sources of current 65 and 66 oppositely poled, a resistance 67, and a polarized sounder 68.

Fig. 3 shows an arrangement which is similar to the arrangement in Fig. 2 with the exception of the inductive means for associating the opposing and accelerating windings. The arrangement of Fig. '3 illustrates that the line relay contacts need not be connected to oppositely poled current sources but that a single source may be employed as well. The operation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is obvious after the descri tion of the operation of Fig. 2.

Througiiout the description, the object of the relay arrangement has been described to be-the operation of a polarized sounder. The inventor does notwish to be understood as thus limiting his invention, since it may obviously be used .for the rapid duplication or relaying of a series of impulses of the general character described for any purpose whatsoever. What is claimed is:

1. In a polarized electrical relay, an arma various circuit changes,

. ture, an opposing winding to influence said armature oppositely to said operating wind- Likewise, when ing, and an accelerating winding inductively associated with said opposing winding to supplement the influence thereof.

2. In a polarized electrical relay, an armature for affecting various circuit changes, an operating winding to operate said armature, an opposing winding to influence said armature oppositely to said operating winding, an accelerating winding to en plement the influence of said opposing Win ing, and inductive means associating the operating winding with the accelerating winding.

3. In a polarized electrical relay, an armature, a pair of contacts for said armature, a source of direct current of positive polarity for one of said contacts, a source of direct current of negative polarity for the other of said contacts, an operating winding adapted to influence said armature to, swing between said contacts, an op osing winding electrically connected wit said armature and adapted to oppose the influence of said 0 rating winding, and an accelerating win ing inductively associated with said opposing Winding to supplement the influence thereof upon connection and disconnection of said armature with either of said contacts.

4. The combination of two polarized relays, one of said relays comprising an arma-' winding cooperating with said opposmg winding, and an auxiliary winding cooperating with said accelerating winding and supplementing said second operating windmg.

5. The combination of two polarized relays, one of said relays comprising an armature having alternate contacting positions, electromagnetic means adapted to produce a tendency in said armature to vibrate between such alternate positions and an op-' erating winding selectively operative to hold said armature in either of such positions, the other of said relays comprising a second armature having alternate contacting positions, and electromagnetic meansassociated wlth the electromagnetic means of said first relay Wherebya substantially simultaneous operation of both said armatures is produced.

6. In a polarized relay, an armature'having alternate contacting positions, a contact member at each such position to cooperate with the armature, a source of current for igo each said contact member, electromagnet means energized by current from said armature tending to influence said armature away from contacting position, and additional elcctromagnet means inductively associated with said electromagnet means to supp1ement the influence thereof after the armature has removed from such contacting position.

7. In a polarized relay, an armature, a pair of contacts between which said armature is adapted to swing, a source of current for each said contact, electromagnet means energized by current from said armature tending to influence said armature away from contacting position with either of said contacts, additional electromagnet means inductively associated with said electromagnet means to supplement the influence thereof, and an operating electromagnet to bias said armature in contact with either of said contacts.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 24th day of September, A. D.,

GEORGE C. CUMMINGS. 

